ROBE, silk. Height 100 cm. China, first quarter of the 20th century.
Ivory silk with polychrome silk embroideries of butterflies, peonies, fruits and bowls. Embroidered ribbons at the edges with terrace scenes with women and birds. A blue silk lining.
Stains, minor damages. The lining has damages.
Provenance
The Artist Dorothy Ruhne-Sempinski (1908-1973). Ruhne-Sempinski went to China 1929 to work as a secretary for Frans August Larsson (called Duke Larsson) at his country house in Kalgan, northwest of Beijing. Larsson worked as a missionary, merchant and was a good friend of Sven Hedin. Larsson contributed as a mediator in a conflict between China and the Mongols. For his services he was appointed "Duke of Mongolia". When Sven Hedin in the winter of 1929 visited Larsson's country house he gave an embroidered robe to Dorothy Ruhne-Sempinski as a Christmas present.